Suitcase



Nov.' 29, 19114;.l E E WM 2,138,202

SUITGASE Filed March 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l @ima/ E. E. .wlLT

sUITcAsE l Filed March 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FISE- 1 1.1111111. lllllkllllllllllll IIIIII Patented Nov. 29, 1938 Y UNITED STATES PATENToFFicE SUITCASE Elmer Ellsworth Wilt, chicago, 1u.

Application March 25, 1937, Serial No. 133,022

2 Claims. (c1. 19o- 41) Y lThis invention relatesto suit cases and parbottom wallV Il. The wall Il is longitudinally ticularly to the type knownas wardrobe suit hinged at I8'to the bottom wall I2.`

cases. One example of cases `of this kind is Conventional fastening devices secured to the shown and described in United. States Patent No. top walls I3 and I3 are indicated at I9, a bracket "52' 1,760,098 issued to me May 2'7, 1930. for holding clothes hangers is indicated at 20 v151 The main object of this invention is to provide, and el Cle'heS han-gel' at 2|- The bracket iS preferably in a suit case of the type referred to, DTefeIebly SeCllled under the 50D Well i6 0f the a combination shoe holder and apron, the pri- Gevel", midway between its ends. mary function of the apron being to protect the tray I Container preferably iS provided for l0 clothing while it is being packed as well as to CeSeS 0f thS type- In this embedment 0f the 10 cover it after it has been packed into the case. ilVeDtOn the tray iS adapted t0 have mOVemeIlt Another Object is t0 so construct the apron between the top and bottom walls of the case as that it may Serve also as a holder for laundry well as between the side walls I0 and I4. As and other articles which may be inserted in the shown, this tray comprises a substantially flat l5 apron- When the shoe holder is unouped, lt bottom 22 which is normally substantially par- 15 serves as part ef the apron for protecting the allel to the .sidewall l0, and integral with said Clothing both during and following the packing wall 22 1s a longitudinally extending curved wall In Some embodiments of the invention the 2-3 and upright wa1l12, The walls 22, 23 and 24 Shoe holder may be eliminated or be sepaate are preferably as long'as the interior of the case 2 from the apron and in Such constructions the but` the transverse dimension of the tray is less 20 apron is directo; Connected to the Suit Caso than the distance between the case walls I2 and In tho drawings: I3: End walls 25j are secured to the ends of the walls 22 23 vand 24. F1g. 1 1s a, perspective View of a suit case embodyno my invention, tho Shoo holder boing On the inner surfaces of the end walls II of Shown in partially* opon position ond tho apron the case are brackets 26 which are preferably 25 Covering ootiolos in tho body of tho' coso located parallel to and relatively close to the side wall I0. These brackets 26 slidably support the Flgj 2 1s a transvfrse Secmona'l VeW taken on tray except when the clothing between the tray the lme 2 2 of Flg' 1 but Showmg the Shoe wall 22 and the side wall I0 is of greater 30 holder 1n full Ime?, as 1t appears when Closed thickness than the space between said walls, in 30 and the apron resting on the tray or on articles which event the tray will be spaced from the packed in the Case and Showing in dotted lines wall I0 to an extent greater than that shown in the unoccupied Shoe holder and apron as they the drawings and will not rest upon the brackets appear while the case is being packed. 26 Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken in The combination shoe holder and apron com- 35 the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. prises three panels of fabric indicated, respec- Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the apron, tively, at 21, 23 and 2g The panel 21 is narrow taken 0n the une 4-4 0f Fg- 3- and as long as the wall I3, and is stitched or Fig- 5 is afl enlarged Sectional View 0f a' detail otherwise secured along one longitudinal edge to 0f Constructlon 0f the apron taken 1n the plane the inner surface of said wall I3 as indicated at 40 of the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. 30. On the other longitudinal edge are fasteners Fig. 6 1s a transverse sectional View of a modi- 3| The fabric panels 23 and 29 are also 9,5 long ed form 0f COHSIUCCIOH- as the case walls I0 and I3, but the part 28 is In the following description the walls of the Somewhat Wider than the part 29, The panel 23 CaSe are designated aS 13011, bottom, and Side is stitched or otherwise secured along one longi- 45 walls, according to their positions when the case tudinal edge to the inner surface 0f the Case Wall is upright, as when carried by the hand hold I3, near its junction with the side wall lo, as Secured t0 the 170D Wallindicated at 32. Between its longitudinal edges, In that embodiment 0f the invention shown said panel 28 is stitched to the upper part 29 by in the drawings, the main section of the case lines of stitches 33 and 34, so that the panel 28 50 comprises a side wall I0, two end walls Il, a underlies the member 29. The parts 28 and 29 bottom I2 and a top I3. The cover or smaller may be integral and folded at 35 or if in two section of the case comprises a side wall I4 which, pieces, may be stitched together at their matched when the case is closed, is parallel tothe side edges 35. The opposite longitudinal edge of the wall I0, two end walls I5, a top wall I6 and a upper panel 29 is provided with fasteners 36 55 which engage the fasteners 3l on the narrow panel 21. These are preferably of the slide fastener type.

The fabric 28 between the lines of stitching 32 and 33 is sufficiently wide to form the bottom and side wall of the shoe holder.v The inner surface of the case wall I3 provides the other side wall of the shoe holder, and the fabric panels 29 and 21 form the top. A pocket 31 is formed by the panels 28 and 29, in that portion between the stitches 33 and 34. The pocket 31 is closed at one end by stitches 38 and may be entered at the other end which is closed by fasteners 39 of the slide fastener type.

When the unoccupied shoe holder and apron are in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the smooth panel 28 is uppermost, and clothing being packed in the case will be protected against contact with the outer surface of the case Wall I3 and the fastening devices on the shoe holder. When the case has been packed, the apron proper covers the contents, and shoes may be placed in the holder without danger of soiling the articles in the case.

In the mcdied form shown in Fig. 6, the apron and laundry holder is connected directly to the case, and comprises two fabric layers 40, 4|, identical in size, as distinguished from the layers 28 and 29, heretofore described. The layers 40, 4| preferably are made of one piece of material, folded at 42, and stitched at 43 to the longitudinal edge of the top wall |3 of the case. The end edges of the layers 40, 4| at one side are stitched together and at the other side are provided with fasteners such as the fasteners 39 described in connection With the apron 28-29. Thus the fabric layers 40, 4| form a bag for holding laundry or other articles, and they also serve as an apron for protecting clothing While it is being packed into the case and for covering the clothing after it has been packed.

Changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the scope of my invention and I do not intend to be limited to the exact form shown and described, except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. A suit case provided with a combination shoe holder and apron, comprising a relatively long, narrow piece of material secured along one longitudinal margin to the top wall of the suit case near its free edge, fasteners on the opposite longitudinal edge of said narrow piece of material, a pair of substantially rectangular panels of material, having their edges matched and connected together at three sides, fastening devices secured to the free edge of one of said panels for engagement with said first mentioned fasteners, the free edge of the other of said panels being secured to the inner surface of the top Wall of the case near its junction with the side wall, and a line of stitches connecting said panels longitudinally and parallel with said fastening means between the shoe holder forming portion and the apron por- Y tion of said panels.

2. A suit case provided with a combination shoe holder and apron, comprising a relatively long, narrow piece of material secured along one longitudinal margin to the top wall of the suit case near its free edge, fasteners on the opposite longitudinal edge of said narrow piece of material, a pair of substantially rectangular panels of material, having their edges matched and connected together at three sides, fastening devices secured to the free edge of one of said panels for engagement with said first mentioned fasteners, the free edge of the other of said panels being secured to the inner surface of the case near the kjunction of the top and side Walls, and a line of stitches connecting said panels longitudinally and parallel with said fastening means between the shoe holder forming portion and the apron portion of said panels, said holder when unoccupied serving as part of the apron to protect clothing while being packed against contact with the outer surface of the top Wall of the case, and the apron being adapted to overlie the contents of the packed case between the shoe holder and bottom wall of the case.

EIMER ELLSWORTH WILT. 

